Munich/Doha. BMW has been a global partner of Art
Basel for over two decades, supporting visionary artistic voices
across its shows. To mark the inaugural edition of Art Basel Qatar,
taking place from 3 to 7 February 2026, and as part of the BMW Art Car
World Tour, BMW will present David Hockney’s BMW Art Car (1995) in
Doha, alongside an opening reception at the BMW Lounge, celebrating
the enduring dialogue between contemporary art, innovation and mobility.
As the Associate Partner of Art Basel globally, BMW continues its
longstanding support for the fair’s VIP car service.
“I thought it would be a good idea to show the car as if one
could see inside.”
—
David Hockney, BMW Art Car #14, 1995.
On the occasion of Art Basel’s first edition in Qatar, BMW brings one
of the most celebrated works from its Art Car Collection to the
region. Exhibited at the iconic Sahat Wadi Msheireb Plaza, Hockney’s
BMW Art Car transforms the automobile into an X-ray-like vision,
revealing its interior, occupants and movement.
The presentation highlights Hockney’s fascination with colour,
perspective and the passage of time, while placing his visual language
in dialogue with five decades of BMW Art Car history.
BMW Lounge at Art Basel Qatar 2026.
To celebrate
Art Basel Qatar, BMW presents the BMW Lounge at
M7, open to visitors throughout the exhibition’s
official opening hours. The Lounge offers guests the opportunity to
explore the BMW Art Car Collection in miniature, providing curated
insights into BMW’s long-standing engagement with contemporary art.
An opening reception will be held for guests, with opening remarks by
artist Christoph Niemann, Tom Eccles
(Executive Director, Centre for Curatorial Studies, Bard College) and
Prof Dr Thomas Girst (Head of Cultural Engagement,
BMW Group). The speakers will reflect on the ongoing dialogue between
contemporary art, automotive innovation and the cultural legacy of
David Hockney and the BMW Art Car Collection.
The 14th BMW Art Car: David Hockney, 1995.
Born
in Bradford, England, in 1937, David Hockney is one of the most
influential artists of his generation. A graduate of the Royal College
of Art, he emerged from the circles of Swinging Sixties London to
define a highly distinctive form of international Pop Art.
David Hockney’s Art Car offers a radical reinterpretation of
automotive paintwork by effectively turning the car inside out. Like
an X-ray, the design reveals the anatomy of the car and its occupants:
the outline of the driver appears on the door, while Hockney’s
dachshund Stanley sits on the back seat. Stylised engine components
span the bonnet, while sweeping fields of green evoke landscape,
motion and time. His Art Car, conceived purely as an exhibition piece,
has never been driven on the road or in competition.
The BMW Art Car World Tour.
Following the
successful launch of the BMW Art Car World Tour 2025 and the
presentation of Andy Warhol’s BMW Art Car #4 in Dubai, United Arab
Emirates, BMW continues this journey by bringing another legendary Art
Car to the Middle East. With Hockney’s BMW Art Car, now presented in
Doha, BMW further strengthens the dialogue between contemporary art
and automotive innovation across the region.
For over 50 years, the BMW Art Car Collection has provided artists
with a unique platform to engage with automobiles as spaces for
artistic experimentation. From Alexander Calder and Andy Warhol to
Jenny Holzer, Jeff Koons and Julie Mehretu, the 20 BMW Art Cars
represent a cross-section of contemporary art history, spanning
minimalism, pop art, abstraction, conceptual and digital art.
To celebrate its 50th anniversary, the BMW Art Car World Tour
presents an ambitious global exhibition programme across all five
continents. The tour underscores BMW’s long-term commitment to
cultural engagement, bringing together art, technology, motorsport and
design in a uniquely mobile museum of “rolling sculptures”. The
complete press release and further press material are available for
download here.
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The BMW Art Car Collection.
The BMW Art Car
initiative, born from the vision of French racing driver and art
dealer Hervé Poulain and BMW Head of Motorsport Jochen Neerpasch, has
become a cornerstone of BMW’s cultural engagement. Over the decades,
the collection has grown to include works by Frank Stella, Robert
Rauschenberg, Esther Mahlangu, David Hockney, Jeff Koons, and many
others, each contributing their unique artistic perspective.
BMW’s commitment to culture extends far beyond the BMW Art Car
Collection, encompassing more than a hundred initiatives across
contemporary art, music, film, and design. The company’s dedication to
fostering creativity and innovation continues to resonate globally, as
evidenced by the success of the Art Car World Tour.
The history of BMW’s legendary Art Cars.
Alexander Calder / BMW 3.0 CSL / 1975
Frank Stella / BMW 3.0 CSL / 1976
Roy Lichtenstein / BMW 320i Turbo / 1977
Andy Warhol / BMW M1 / 1979
Ernst Fuchs / BMW 635 CSi / 1982
Robert Rauschenberg / BMW 635 CSi / 1986
Michael Jagamara Nelson / BMW M3 Group A / 1989
Ken Done / BMW M3 Group A / 1989
Matazo Kayama / BMW 535i / 1990
César Manrique / BMW 730i / 1990
A.R. Penck / BMW Z1 / 1991
Esther Mahlangu / BMW 525i / 1991
Sandro Chia / BMW M3 GTR / 1992
David Hockney / BMW 850 CSi / 1995
Jenny Holzer / BMW V12 LMR / 1999
Ólafur Elíasson / BMW H2R / 2007
Jeff Koons / BMW M3 GT2 / 2010
Cao Fei / BMW M6 GT3 / 2017
John Baldessari / BMW M6 GTLM / 2016
Julie Mehretu / BMW M Hybrid V8 / 2024
The BMW Group’s Cultural Engagement, with exclusive updates and
deeper insights into its global initiatives can be followed on
Instagram at @BMWGroupCulture.